Misery index

So say the smug scribes at Forbes.com, who have officially ranked Memphis #2 on the list of Americaâ€™s 10 Most Miserable Cities â€“ over the likes of Detroit, Buffalo, St. Louis and Miami. Only Stockton, Calif., ranked lower in Forbesâ€™ esteem.

And why, exactly, does Memphis have Forbes singing the blues?

“The home of FedEx has an incredibly high rate of violent crimes, with only Detroit faring worse,” the list-makers claim. “The 1,218 violent crimes per 100,000 residents is more than twice the rate in the New York City metro area. The city’s sales tax and rate of government employees committing crimes also fall within the 10 highest in the U.S. Pro sports has been a mess in Memphis in recent years as well. The city’s lone major franchise, the Memphis Grizzlies, has lost 74% of its games during the past three years, the worst in the NBA.”